Asteroid TU24 is Gone, But Stargazing Opportunities Still Exist

Once in a generation, an asteroid passes as close to Earth as the TU24 Asteroid did last night.Â The skyscraper-sized asteroid passed Earth at a distance of about 334,000 miles, or about 1.4 times the distance between the Earth and the Moon.Â The next time an asteroid will come so close to Earth is in 2027, and scientists hope to observe the TU24 Asteroid for some clues about the 2027 Asteroid.

While TU24 has already hurtled past Earth, stargazing opportunities still exist.Â For a truly romantic evening, why not rent a convertible from an elite car rental agency like DFW Elite Auto Rental in the Dallas â€“ Fort Worth area.Â For a longer-term relationship with elite sports cars, many are also joining car clubs like DFW Elite Car Club, where members share a garage of elite cars.Â And for those who need a larger dose of adrenalin, there is always a dream tour like those offered by DFW Drive Your Dream.Â Participants in a dream tour get to drive several amazing cars in a single day.Â

According to the Times Online, â€œAsteroid 2007 TU24 was only discovered on October 11 last year by the Nasa-sponsored Catalina Sky Survey at Arizona University. It is of an estimated 7,000 near-Earth objects.â€Â

There is some concern among Internet pundits about the electromagnetic disturbances caused by the passing asteroids.Â The website tu24.org carries the tagline, â€œFor as long as TU24 is near Earth’s magnetosphere there is a possibility of disturbance. This website is not (and was never) about impact. If you’re wondering why “nothing happened” you’re counting your chickens too soon.â€

Tu24.org goes on to explain the concern in greater detail:Â â€œAlthough the chances of a direct impact are nearly non-existent, there is a much greater chance that there will be a degree of electromagnetic interference as TU24 traverses Earth’s magnetosphere in the manner of Tunguska 100 years ago.â€Â The Tunguska Event, an explosion that occurred in Siberia in1908, is believed to be the result of an asteroid passing 3-4 miles above the Earthâ€™s surface.

Impact was never a concern for the TU24 Asteroid.

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Kate Miller-Wilson is a freelance writer living in the Twin Cities.Â Please visit her website or email her for information about her writing services. She is a regular contributor to the exotic car rental blog. Read more of her stories on our exotic car news page.